Qatar World Cup - 2022

Same with Denmark with their * shirts. Happy enough to sell the shirts with no proceeds to humanitarian aids and compete in the tournament.

 

FFA have released a video of several of the Australian players, criticizing host nation's human rights abuses, calling on reforms in migrant workers' & LGBT+ rights in Qatar.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/63407407

As has previously been said in this thread (and for the past 10+ years really), Qatar should never have been awarded the World Cup in the first place.

 

The award of Qatar & Russia was clearly bogus. But Qatar's shocking!

I still get why most players will go though, for some it might be the only opportunity to play in a WC with their nations!

But A LOT 2 Faced folk showing through!

 

FIFA have some brass neck.

The game's governing body have written to all 32 competing nations, saying that football should not be "dragged" into ideological or political "battles" and it should not be "handing out moral lessons".
(
Are they serious? What do they think 'Show Racism the Red Card' campaign etc is all about, for example? FIFA are so mired in corruption (literally the only way Russia and Qatar were awarded the hosting of 2018 & this one respectively), it really is sickening.

Of course football jas a duty of care and should be highlighting all of these issues and how can we say this is a global community and the world's game, and for the governing body to tell those nations that have raised points/players intending to do individual protests etc, that they are somehow wrong for taking moral stances etc?

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/63506951

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/63506951

FIFA getting all itchy about potential spotlight on Qatar for the ‘wrong’ reasons….

Aye…. Well maybe you shouldn’t have sold the competition to them!

That said…. wanders like Harry Kane and countries like Australia, France and Denmark all having their wee protests yet still taking part is pathetic.

About as effective … and as sincere as the kneeling Pish.

Costs football… and footballers nothing.

 

I wouldn’t mind if they just said "I get the problems but I want to play in the world cup" rather than pretending thar they are protesting with armbands when they go.

 

Money was, is & will always be the driving force in football. The powers that be talk a big game but as we have seen with
Man C, Newcastle & Quatar, Money Talks !!!

 

How does this effect Scotland ??? As in players in our leagues.

 

The two-faced aspects runs right through football…

You have * like Crouch …and Beckham now making money out of programmes where they are supposed to be all concerned about grass roots football and non-league clubs… complaining about the lack of funds and trickle-down…..

Aye… because you premier league * have had it all. Shameful irony and double standards whining about lack of money in lower and non-league levels by folk who’ve become multi-millionaires out of the game and continue to do so under the guise of being a ‘concerned interest’… Funny how they never speak up while they are playing and earning all the big money.

It’s all part if the same cynical insincere responses to going to Qatar… all coming out with some sort of wee pointless protest that means nothing , costs nothing, boosts the profile as well as making them think they are doing something worthwhile….. and yes… earning £££ at the same time.

*.

The * make me sick. Makes me question whether it’s worth bothering with football any more sometimes..

I admire those guys who abandon professional football to support their local non-league team.

 

Well our league returns the day of the 3rd place play off. I imagine any players who are at the world cup will be given a break of 1 week from when they were knocked out. Can't be many from Scotland going though. Maeda, CCV, Juranovic and Mooy from us with possibly Barasic, Sands and Tillman from the huns. Martin Boyle?

 

I really couldn't give a toss about this WC. Playing in November is just meh. I'm almost done now .. but once it goes to 48 teams I don't think I'll be arsed.

 

* Qatar.

* FIFA.

* November.

 

I’m of the same opinion, once it gets to 48 teams it’s finished. It’s already * watching half the group games, first games Qatar against Ecuador fs . Motherwell against hearts would genuinely be more entertaining.

 

I would say internationals do feel like it is losing its charm even for players.

For me it feels like since the WC in South Africa they have been dull as * and utterly uninspiring, slow, reserved games where there is no emphasis on attacking a team, the focus is just not to lose.

Thing is I wouldn't have otherwise minded seeing more countries take part in WC, would be good viewing to see a rare shock result e.g Scotland qualifying.

But I doubt the way international football is played is going to change anytime soon so it will just be filled with mind numbing games where you'd probably do well to lose a bet of under 1.5 goals a game

 

There’s always some great games at World Cups.

 

Internationals have lost charm for players who don't play for the big nations, I think anyway. But that happened a while ago before 2010. Fans possibly think it as CL is seen as the competition with the elite in it.

2026 has 48 countries, OFC will get 1 1/3 so New Zealand basically automatically qualify, Conmebol goes from 4.5 to 6 1/3, they only have 10 teams and UEFA goes from 13 to 16, so still be tough for Scotland. Concacaf gets 6 1/3 because 3 teams automatically qualify I can't see them keeping that amount though for 2030.

 

I'll sit and moan about it...

Then watch the lot I'm not gonna sit here and pretend otherwise. Sometimes you'll get abdoloute cracking games. Probably early on small nation vs small nation etc. No point pretending your boycotting it because of where it is then watching it secretly. I love football and I'll watch it.

However if celtic are playing in Australia during a cup game I'll be watching that instead. Mon the aussie cup!!

 

Excited for a wee world cup, no idea who I back to win it.

 

Ian Hyslop going in on Gary Neville on Have I got news for you on Thursday or Friday was * incredible. Neville didn't know where to look.

 

What was the general gist of his comments?